Pulse Check

Description
Personal Reflection | 20 minutes

Cultivating cultural responsiveness in math learning spaces requires ongoing reflection. The Pulse Check below describes behaviors of a tutor who are responsive to the cultural dynamics at play in the learning context, as well as items that describe a culturally responsive program climate. Use the statements and questions below for self reflections (not as an evaluation or a strict assessment). Tutoring program leaders can turn the statements below into questions to informally survey tutors and see how culturally responsive math tutoring changes over time. Click here to download this page as a PDF.

Statements

1. Culturally Responsive Relationship-Building

I try to understand and respect students' cultures and backgrounds.
I encourage students to share their cultures and backgrounds in the classroom.
I listen to students’ ideas and opinions, even when we disagree.
I address incidents when my students are treated unfairly (e.g., if students receive hostile or derogatory comments).
I guide students on what to say and do when they're treated unfairly or when they see others being treated unfairly.
I challenge students to think critically about how our society provides advantages to some and disadvantages to others.
I establish positive and open communication with students’ parents/guardians and people important to them.

2. Culturally Responsive Math Tutoring

I feel prepared to adapt tutoring to students’ unique needs.
I know how to explain math concepts in multiple ways to help students learn.
I take students’ cultural backgrounds into account to plan math learning (e.g., using examples from their culture).
I understand that students may face potential barriers in math due to perceived biases from others.
I celebrate and build upon my students’ strengths in math to help them learn new things.
I help my students see their potential in math.
I use real-life examples that are familiar to my students to help explain math.
I talk with my students about things that they care about outside of math (e.g., hobbies, how school is going).
I adapt my tutoring based on my students’ math identity (how they see themselves in math).

3. Culturally Responsive Program Climate

This tutoring program considers the cultural needs and practices of students. (e.g., flexibility around what languages students and tutors speak, respect for family obligations and cultural events).
This tutoring program enforces rules fairly.
This tutoring program addresses the gap between program culture (e.g., values, norms, and practices) and students’ cultures.
This tutoring program gives opportunities to all students and tutors to help make decisions about the program.
This tutoring program has a welcoming atmosphere for all students.
This tutoring program treats all tutors and students like they are important members of the tutoring program.

4. Reflection Questions

How do you try to understand your students’ cultures and backgrounds?
How do you show your students that you respect them as whole people and not just as math students?
How do you connect math to your students' cultural background?
In what ways would you describe your students’ math learning journey as different from and similar to your own?
If you were to introduce this program to a potential tutor, how would you describe the program atmosphere?
In what ways do you feel like you and your students belong in the program?

Tips and Tricks

Going Deeper. Consider using this resource as you prepare for each tutoring session. You can choose one statement for each session to reflect on throughout the learning experience. This way, these ideas about culturally responsive relationships slowly influence the lens through which you see and engage your students.

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